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Windsor Square Neighbors Working to Relocate Honey Bees

Neighbors in Windsor Square are trying to relocate a bee hive at the base of this camphor tree on 2nd Street.

 

Anyone walking along 2nd Street between Van Ness Avenue and Norton Blvd in Windsor Square this weekend might have been curious about all the humans and bees buzzing around the base of one of the neighborhood’s lovely, large, heritage Camphor trees. It was a collaboration between neighbors Lauren Gabor and Sheri Markus and bee rescuer Dael Wilcox to remove the bees from the hive at the base of the tree. The process is still going on, too.

 

Messages explain to passersby the bee relocation process that is currently underway.

 

The hive on 2nd street in Windsor Square has been there for years. During that time, neighbors say city workers have come out several times to eradicate the bees, but the bees have returned. While some neighbors were concerned about the presence of the bees, most were happy see the hive return to life.  Gabor, who lives up the street, and Markus, who lives in the corner property right next to the hive, told the Buzz that most people in the neighborhood were aware of the bees and a number even left notes expressing how glad they were to have the bees back.

 

Among the notes left for the bees from neighbors was this song, new lyrics to the tune of the Beatles classic “Let it Be.”

 

Concerned that an active beehive so close to the sidewalk could be a hazard, Gabor and Markus began thinking about what could be done to save the bees, the tree and clear the sidewalk. When they contacted CD4 Field Deputy Kevin Sanchez-Morales for options, they learned the city was planning another attempt to exterminate the bees.

Fearing the loss of more bees, Gabor and Markus sprang into action. They contacted Wilcox asking if he could provide a more humane solution by removing the bees and putting them back into a hive where they could be tended.

Arriving before dawn on Sunday morning, Wilcox began setting up for his extraction operation.  Wilcox, who has made a business of relocating feral bees back into hives, brought along some honey for any interested neighbor to try, along with his pet goat, Frosty. Wilcox, a wealth of information and experience he was happy to share, stopped periodically throughout the day to explain his efforts in detail to anyone walking by.

 

 

At one point, Wilcox was working inside a tent that covers the whole area but as soon as he secured an exit for the bees, he removed the tent and began working with a vacuum and smoke to lure the bees out of the tree and into a hive he set up complete with baby bees to welcome the new bees.

 

 

When we stopped by this morning, all was quiet at the hive. Wilcox said the bees would continue to migrate out of the tree and into the hive in the box. He said the process of moving the bees could take several days or more.

 

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Patricia Lombard
Patricia Lombard
Patricia Lombard is the publisher of the Larchmont Buzz. Patty lives with her family in Fremont Place. She has been active in neighborhood issues since moving here in 1989. Her pictorial history, "Larchmont" for Arcadia Press is available at Chevalier's Books.

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1 COMMENT

  1. Good to know there are more friendly options for removing bees, I’m sure the bees appreciate it too. Great the neighbors shared their story with the ‘Buzz.

    Now that I put up some bird feeders, it’s interesting to see all the wildlife we share our city with. There’s a hawk that stops by here now & then and turns out there are researchers studying the raptors that live around here.

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